Tuesday, October 7, 2014

Grace Avery's husband was her rock, the foundation to her faith and her life. Now a young, grieving widow, she longs to have his baby, but artificial insemination fails her again and again. How far will she go to have his baby? She cries out to God, but He isn't listening. When the Worship Team Leader asks her to come back and bless the congregation with her gift of sign language during the Christmas Eve Program, her stifling grief holds her back. Can sharing her gift be the seed needed to reap the harvest she so desperately wants? Is God's grace sufficient? Is there Christmas Grace?

About this author: Lynn Donovan spends her days chasing after her muses, trying to get

them to settle down and behave long enough to dictate their words and actions. The results have produced The Clockwork Dragon, a collection of nine short stories in which she wrote half (4.5 stories), The Wishing Well Curse, and Thorns of Betrayal, Rocking Horse Shadows, and Christmas Grace, Signing Seeds. A speculative fiction called Fertility Pirates is hovering out there somewhere. Lynn enjoys reading and writing Christian fiction, paranormal, and speculative fiction. But you never know what her muses will come up with for a story, so you could see a novel under any given genre. All we can tell you is keep your eyes open, cause these muses are not sitting still for long! Oops, there they go again…

You can learn more about Lynn on her blog, SittingOnThePorchWithLynn.blogspot.com, follow her on Twitter @MLynnDonovan, LinkedIn.com at M Lynn Donovan, Face Book at MLDonovan, her Face Book Author page at LynnDonovanFGG and her website: http://lynndonovanauthor.webs.com/

Sneak Peek: "Well, hello!" Pastor Barbara greeted Grace at the front door of the church. Her slow, Southern accent drew out the salutation. The afternoon air had cooled enough for a jacket. The weather was unpredictable from one hour to the next, especially in December in south Texas.

She chewed on the inside of her cheek, mentally rehearsing her already worn-out speech. She hated what she had to do. Not that she regretted her reasons for doing it. Chris meant more to her than any activity in church. It was just that she knew how the pastor would react. It had been Barbara who had asked her to start signing with the praise team. She would be disappointed to have Grace leave the team. She hated disappointing anybody, especially Pastor Barbara.

Barbara unlocked the doors and led the way to her office toward the back of the administrative area. "Come on in. You want a water or somethin'?"

"No, I'm good," Grace said softly.

"Wonderful!" Barbara's voice boomed in the empty silence. She rotated her shoulder to coax her heavy sweater off. It seemed to cling to her shimmering blouse. Eventually, she managed to move and shake her arm to get the sweater low enough so gravity could do the rest.

She blew an exasperated sigh and shoved wiry black hair back into place. Her keys rattled as she set them on the corner of her desk. Her milk-chocolate skin was moist from her efforts. She flapped the collar of her blouse to cool her skin.

Her eyes met Grace's. "How's Chris?"

"He's…" Grace choked. "He's not so good." She could barely get the words out.

"Oh! Oh honey. I'm so sorry." Barbara tossed the sweater at her chair, and then gathered Grace into her arms.

She leaned down to bury her face against Barbara's shoulder and cried. The well-rehearsed speech escaped into a dark, hidden place in her mind.

Barbara patted Grace's back while her tears flowed.

She had not intended to break down like this. There was something about Pastor Barbara that allowed Grace to be vulnerable, to let down her armor. "I'm sorry."

Grace yanked a tissue from Barbara's tissue box and wiped her eyes. "I didn't mean to fall apart like that."

"It's all right. Burdens are not meant to be carried alone." Barbara pulled a tissue from the box and dotted makeup-beaded perspiration from her forehead. Sincere empathy glazed her dark-brown eyes.

"Now, tell me. Why this meeting? You wantin' ta take some time off ta spend with your hu-usband?" Barbara's accent over-emphasized the first syllable of the last word. Her unique pronunciation warmed Grace's heart.

She nodded, her speech poking back into the lighted area of her memory. "Chris is so weak right now, Barbara. I need to spend more time with him. I've got to reduce my activities."

Then her excellent speech fizzled away like an untied balloon. "I have two freelance contracts to wrap up, and then I'm going to hold off submitting anymore queries…for now. I've got some residuals to tie me over, and Chris has his disability."

She just couldn't stop herself. Her mouth had a mind of its own. "We don't owe anything except our mortgage. We'll be fine until…" The words stuck in her throat. She forced herself to continue even though her voice pitched from the constriction.

"I feel like I need to spend all my time making him as comfortable as possible."

"Well, now, let's not talk like that. Only the Good Lord knows our days. I understand, though. I'm sure you want to be with him as much as possible." Barbara clung to Grace's hand. "Have you prayed about this? We sure will miss your presence on the team, but we understand."

"Yes. I've prayed 'til I'm blue in the face." Grace stared at the ground and swallowed hard, trying not to cry. She couldn't help but expose her frustration. Her faith was slipping through her fingers, and she knew it. Her armor had been completely discarded.

"Oh, Grace. Bless your heart. Let's pray now." Barbara took both of Grace's hands and bowed her head. She prayed for strength, healing, and protection for her and Chris. She thanked God for His wisdom and perfect timing. Finally she asked it all in Jesus's name, and they both said "Amen."

Grace felt numb. Barbara's prayers usually gave her such peace. It was the words perfect timing that caught in Grace's heart. What if this was God's perfect timing? It did not reassure her that Chris would make it through this.

Barbara squeezed Grace's hands one last time and then released them.

"Thank you." Grace sniffed. But she didn't feel grateful.

Something stirred deep down in her gut. A longing, no, a need, to get to Chris. "I've gotta go."

"Of course, God bless you." Barbara drew her into another embrace, but Grace pulled away. The odd feeling intensified and curled around in her gut like a knot of snakes. She absolutely had to get home.

Sunday, October 5, 2014

Peace, Contentment: Concern vs Worry

I have sought peace and contentment my whole life. Don’t we all? Is anyone truly at peace in their daily lives? But I have to admit, I’m miserable when I’m not at peace. I can’t sleep. My blood pressure rises. My stomach hurts. I’m irritable. I’m sad. I’m…not myself. The self who is comfortable and relaxed.

“But if we hope for what we do not yet have, we wait for it patiently.” ~Romans 8:25

Lately, I have ridden a roller coaster of emotions with complete melt downs. I turn to God and Prayer. I cry. I talk to my Husband. I call upon my prayer warriors. I talk to my daughters (my best friends in the entire universe). I talk to my sons (second best friends in the entire universe). I stand at the alter in church and ask the Elders to pray for me or my situation.

Some of my “concerns” are self induced. We want to move to Colorado. There is a lot of detail to moving to another state.

Finding the area you want to live. Check.

Four years ago, we chose Canon City after asking friends who live in Colorado, “Where in Colorado would you recommend living? and why?”

We bought land and had a plan. (I laugh at myself…because I now know the next chapter in this plan)

Say: Do you know how to make God laugh? Tell Him your plans.

Yeah, boy howdy is that the truth!

We scoured the internet for our dream home. A Log Home. We found a dealer, who was also a builder. We found the perfect piece of land! Beautiful meadow, rising to lovely hills—Mountains to me who has been raised her whole life in the flat, open plains of the Panhandle of Texas and now lives in South West Kansas. We perused the catalog, with a realistic budget in mind, we chose a home. Then we spent months sketching how we’d change the original kit to suit our needs. After several years, literally, of intense focus on this one house plan, we decided it would be cheaper to change plans, so we scoured the catalog again and found another, more suitable floor plan. OKAY!

Photoshopped version of how home
would look on our land.

As we reached the “It could really happen in a year” marker, we sat down and discussed our version of the house plan, paid for official drawings, and muddled through the three-opportunities-to-make-changes-for-free process. There! The plans were “Just right!” and ready for subcontractor estimates.

We waited patiently, even though this process took three or four months. Toward the last month, I have to admit, we were getting antsy!!! Then our worst nightmare in this whole dream/process:

The bid was so high, we couldn’t afford it.

~Insert needle scratching a record sound~

Melt Down!

In the mean time, real, life-and-death stuff was happening to be “concerned” about.

First: My oldest, thirty year old daughter became pregnant with baby number three. She has two boys by birth and one by relationship. (And my I say, we love them all the same) But THREE boys. She wanted a girl and so did the rest of the family! (Grandparents included!) So of course the babies turn out to be boys!

Did you catch that? Babies! Twins!

She’s having twin boys! That's fine. I love my grandsons as much as my granddaughters. It was just wishful thinking…

But now she's not only thirty and pregnant, it’s a High Risk pregnancy and she’s a little bitty thing. Five foot, oneish. Barely pushes a hundred and twenty pounds. Where will she have room for two babies, and her youngest are three and four years old. The older one is nearly eleven and in football. He's an AP student, very active! She has a non-stop lifestyle.

Not a melt down, but extreme CONCERN. Praying over these babies and her. A full-term pregnancy would be great, Lord! I”m just saying…

Second: August 10th, my oldest son had a roll-over accident and nearly lost his left arm and his life. (HORROR NUMBER 1) then while being examined for other internal injuries, the discovery of CANCER was found. WHAT?! Okay, the accident was a miracle, otherwise the cancer would not have been found…I get that. But…

MELTDOWN #2

The Patch/graph
from his thigh

External apparatus
holding his arm together

So several operations, a graph from his thigh, twelve days in the hospital, a $300,000 hospital bill (miraculously paid by a charity organization THANK YOU JESUS), and a trip to Houston, TX for THE BEST oncology clinic known to this modern mankind, he’s home. Chemo for 4.5 months is planned. Physical therapy for his reconstructed left arm.

Oh, did I mention he and his wife, had just had a baby boy? He was like six weeks old when the accident happened! And a two year old son, not to mention two older girls, thirteen and seventeen. Yeah. Major worries about them, during all this. Thank God for her parents and my son’s dad and step-mom who have pitched in and helped so much. They have an amazing cluster of friends who are also giving their time and resources to help daily!

Third: My youngest daughter’s boyfriend (father of my granddaughter) did somethings that were stupid (sorry but it’s the truth) and caused himself to have TWO strokes. He’s recovering and going through physical therapy to regain use of his arms/hands. Actually, it was a wakeup call and he is really doing much better, mentally and physically. But a mother worries!!!

Prom 2014

And Fourth: My youngest is at the threshold of moving out and starting his life as an adult. (Just a whole ’nother wad of emotions and concerns) I know he’ll do fine…of course. My heart aches and yet it soars. He’s an amazing guy and I LOVE his girlfriend.

Let’s also remember, my mother died April 12th, in our home, after several years of battling Alzheimer's (dementia), and I am guardian of my forty-nine year old special needs sister who is blind, deaf and mentally challenged.

That’s my basket of worry!!!

My measly house-shattered-to-smithereens melt down seems pretty minor in comparison to all these real, life threatening concerns! I know.

SO…life goes on and we are rethinking our homestead plans. What to do? Find a different, smaller home to build on our land? Buy a house in town? What about Westcliffe? For that matter, what about a different area all together? Woodland Park is nice… Love Boulder...

MELTDOWN #3

Did I mention, I hate not knowing what our general plans are? Country vs City, New Construction vs Resale, Canon City vs … God only Knows.

I don’t mind change. I love change. I don’t mind searching, I love perusing all resources and looking for just the right one. I HATE not know what our GENERAL PLANS are. Too many unknown variables became part of the equation and I had a melt down.

We have funds set aside for this move (thanks to death benefits from my mother) but suddenly, I felt like everything, including the funds, were slipping through my fingers and we were going to be destitute. Unrealistic, I know, but that was the elevator I was on while having my meltdown.

What are our options?

The final answer is not in my grasp yet. (I hate to leave you hanging like this, but it is where I am too. Let’s chat while we are hanging on this cliff by the tips of our fingernails…So, how are you…)

I have sent four emails to different sources and are waiting replies to determine what options we actually have.
Buy resale in Canon City or Westcliffe (we like both towns and work is available in either one, PLUS my husband is fine with commuting either way.)
Buy resale in the area of our land.
Build new in Canon City. We have an actual site and builder as a potential here.
Build that same new house on our land.
Build something else on our land.

Which leads to Meltdown number 4! If we build new, either on our land or in town, we need to decide NOW because it will take four to six months. (And we all know construction is never under, it’s always over what is planned.)

If we buy resale, we shouldn’t do anything until after the first of the year because no one is going to accept a contract that says, We are moving to your area, no we don’t have a job yet, but we will, and we are selling our house here… Yeah that won’t fly.

OR if we can find a house at a price low enough, we can go ahead and buy it, pay two mortgages and treat it as a second home until we 1. obtain job in area, 2. sell home here, 3. move there. This would be nice! We wouldn’t be homeless for GOK how long until we get mortgage and housing.

OH WHAT TO DO!!!

In the mean time:

My daughter is in her third trimester and so far so good. She’s holding up real good and the babies are healthy and staying put!

My oldest son has an amazingly positive attitude and is surrounded by Godly people who pray for and with him daily, hourly. He is facing this challenge/cancer head on and is going to have a powerful testimony one of these days.

The youngest daughter is holding up beautifully. Her significant other has actually impressed me with his diligence and determination to recover. He’s learned a valuable lesson and I pray he sticks with his new conviction to stay clean.

The youngest son has a good head on his shoulder. He has recently found a better paying job and will be building a savings before leaping out of the nest. He’s not overly anxious and I appreciate that. They are practicing cooking and gathering information for budgeting. AND he promises me he will stay in college until he has received a diploma. (So does his girlfriend!)

I am beginning to have peace with one of these homestead choices, but I will wait to see what the Lord and my husband have to say about it. In the mean time…

I know, I know…

Thank you for listening. Thank your for your prayers, positive thoughts, and “bubbles” as my dear friend always says. Does life cause you to have meltdowns? Since I unloaded on you, I certainly do not mind sitting back and hearing your story. Together we can empathize and pray for each other. I know God is in charge and His way is the better way. Now if I can just be patient while I wait. In the mean time... God only knows.

Monday, September 29, 2014

Christmas Grace, Signing Seeds,

a Christian Fiction Novella by Lynn Donovan, Published by Astraea Press. E-copy will be available soon. But until then, I am SO excited to give you this little sneak peek:

Book Blurb:

Grace Avery's husband was her rock, the foundation to her faith and her life. Now a young, grieving widow, she longs to have his baby, but artificial insemination fails her again and again. How far will she go to have his baby? She cries out to God, but He isn't listening. When the Worship Team Leader asks her to come back and bless the congregation with her gift of sign language during the Christmas Eve Program, her stifling grief holds her back. Can sharing her gift be the seed needed to reap the harvest she so desperately wants? Is God's grace sufficient? Is there Christmas Grace?

Excerpt:

This would make four attempts this year. Was she out of her mind? Her husband’s dying wish was for her to have his baby. Of course, she shouldn’t call it a dying wish. He had been convinced he would not die. Her getting pregnant just gave him incentive to beat the cancer and live. But she didn’t get pregnant, and he didn’t live. What was wrong with her? Women she knew got pregnant at the drop of a hat. Why couldn’t she? Chris might still be here if…No. She wouldn’t do that to herself. The cancer killed him. That’s all there was to it. His death was beyond anything she could control. God couldn’t even save him from such an early demise. Or at least He didn’t.

Thank you for participating in my Cover Reveal. Release date for Christmas Grace Sighing Seeds will be announced soon. Keep your eye on Facebook and Twitter and of course here on my blog for updates. God Bless you all!!!

Thursday, September 4, 2014

Left Behind for the Hunger Games generation

In a heart-racing thriller described as Falling Skies meet The Walking Dead, Jennie struggles to find a safe place for what’s left of her family. But it seems as though there is no place sacred, no place secure. First the aliens attacked the sun, making it dimmer, weaker, and half what it used to be. Then they attacked the water supply, killing one-third of Earth’s population with a bitter contaminate. And when they unleash a new terror on humankind, the victims will wish for death, but will not find it…

When the world shatters to pieces around her, will Jennie find the strength she needs to keep going?

Pauline Creeden

Pauline Creeden is a horse trainer from Virginia, but writing is her therapy. In her fiction, she creates worlds that are both familiar and strange, often pulling the veil between dimensions. She becomes the main character in each of her stories, and because she has ADD, she will get bored if she pretends to be one person for too long.

Saturday, August 16, 2014

I have not, nor will I, loose my faith! I still believe!

My youngest son, William, and I sat down this morning to discuss the latest news on his brother, my oldest son, Trent. Then we discussed the latest tragic news from his oldest sister, Nisa.

He expressed concern for himself or his other sister, Emily. "Who is next, Mom?" he asked me.

"What do you mean," I replied. "You've already had your tragedy, and so has Emily."

Which got me to thinking: It's been a rough six months! We are being tested and it has only just now occurred to me how tested we have been. But...

I still Believe!!!

However, in order to make my point, here's a brief recap of the past six months.

My mom died from a long battle with Alzheimer's. She lived in our home a little over three years while we cared for her as she slowly faded away from us into the blank nothingness pit of Alzheimer's. In the end, we changed her diapers, bathed her, fed her, dressed her, and medicated her every two hours around the clock to help her pass as peacefully as possible. She, however, didn't go very quietly. She fought it to the bitter end. I sat with her, played her favorite music, read the bible to her, talked to her, and continued to care for her physical needs for five days as she slowly left this earth.

My father-in-law had three heart related surgeries in a two month period.

My mother-in-law is in bad health with a colon-related disease coupled with COPD related problems.

I found out my thyroid is deteriorating. I'm already dealing with an auto-immune disease, Ulcerative Colitis.

William's car in flames

William's car burst into flames on the highway. He walked away unharmed (thank God), the car and everything in it was destroyed.

Emily's partner, and father of her baby, had two strokes and was rendered paralyzed in both his arms. One more so than the other. He is now undergoing intensive physical therapy and is slowly regaining use in one arm/hand and some in the other. But I have no idea if he'll be able to provide financially for his family again. And if we back up a few more months, I can tell you about Emily's daughter loosing the end of her ring finger on her left hand to a dog bite through the fence. (Truly not the dog's or anyone else's fault.)

Identical Twins

Nisa found out she is pregnant with twins, (she already has three boys) then received a false positive for the twins having Downs Syndrome. A follow up blood test proved they are fine. But yesterday, at 18 weeks pregnant, she has had to put down her beloved dog, Miss.

Little Miss

She had to do this alone because Jason is working five-hundred miles from home (that was hard on him). If you've been or lived with any one who was pregnant, you know how emotionally charged a woman is during this time and to have to do this life/death necessity was devastating to her. And hard on her mother's heart-link to her child.

My husband had hernia surgery and has been on LWOP from work for six weeks.

Then there's Trent. He had a roll-over one-car accident Sunday, Aug 10, and mangled his left elbow. He saved his own life by asking a woman who had stopped to help for her belt and tied it on his arm to stop the massive bleeding. He is in the hospital at the time of this writing. He will be there three to four more weeks and has had three (or is it four?) surgeries to repair the damage to his elbow, plus a skin/muscle/vascular graph from his thigh. It has been rough on his wife, because they have a one-month-old son who is still breast feeding, a two year old son, and two daughters: thirteen and seventeen.

Their seventeen-year-old daughter passed out at volley ball practice two days ago, and was rushed to another hospital. We thought it was a heart-related thing or gall bladder, but turns out to be an ovarian cyst and GI problems.

Their two-year-old son spiked a fever and they thought it was an ear infection. Turned out to be a virus.
Her mother and father and Trent's father and step-mother live in the area and are helping cover the home front as well as rotate at the hospital with Seventeen-year-old and Trent, so that Adrienne (Trent's wife) can rotate among the two hospitals and home.

By the way, I started a fundraiser for Trent. If you feel lead to help, here it is.

***

Yeah, it's been a rough six months.

Last night, I had a melt down! But eventually I stood up, stared the devil in the face and said, "NO! I still believe. God is good all the time and all the time God is good! You have no hold on my family. Get thee behind me Satan."

I fell on my knees and prayed. I called my pastors and they prayed with me over the phone while I knelt down beside my bed. Then I claimed the words from the bible that "whatsoever you ask in Jesus' name it shall be delivered." And then I claimed healing over my son, over my granddaughter and my grandson. I claimed strength over Adrienne and Nisa ... and myself, protection over the twins and Nisa during the gestation, and protection for William in all that he does.

This will be our testimony! We will glorify God and tell others how all these things happened and we persevered.

The Bible says: Consider it pure joy, my brothers and sisters, whenever you face trials of many kinds, 3because you know that the testing of your faith produces perseverance. 4Let perseverance finish its work so that you may be mature and complete, not lacking anything. -James 1:2-4

Yes, I still believe. My faith is intact. I will not falter. I pray my Heavenly Father is pleased with me in the end and says, "Well done, my good and faithful child."

Tuesday, June 24, 2014

Young Adult Author, Emerald Barnes, is releasing her latest novel, Entertaining Angels, today. It's a Young Adult Christian romance that faces the issues of self-esteem and weight in teens. It's a story that will hopefully grab the attention of girls - and boys alike - and help them understand that no matter what they are beautiful.

About Entertaining Angels

"I've read many books that tackle the issue of spiritual warfare, but I especially loved this one. Mads was alive and real and jumped off the page! Her character is so strong, she needed strong characters to balance her, and Barnes certainly provided that in the characters of Chase and Zach." - Author Precarious Yates

Madison Andrews can’t face her reflection in the mirror. All she sees is a big, fat nobody. Yet, deep inside she longs for something more, something that’s not skin deep.

Along comes Zach, the new guy in school. He’s smoking hot and totally out of her league. She somehow catches his eye, and he makes her feel beautiful for once. But just as she gets close to Zach, her nerdy best friend, Chase, won’t let Madison doubt her true beauty, no matter how many meals she skips.

Even as Madison begins to realize that she is more than what she thinks, darker forces are at work, darker than the lies and mocking from her peers, stopping her from amounting to her full potential. Can Madison find true happiness in her own skin?

A Word from the Author

Entertaining Angels is near and dear to my heart. Essentially, it's my story. I have struggled with my weight issues for many years, and I remember clearly the very first day I fell victim to the word fat

I am more than that label. I am a Child of God, and He wanted me to see that. Making a long story short here, I have began to realize that although I am overweight, it's not who I am. I am so much more, and He wanted me to share that story with everyone else, especially young adults and woman who need to be reminded just how beautiful they are.

If you do buy Entertaining Angels, I hope that it shows you just how beautiful, or handsome if you're a guy, you are.

Giveaway Time!

Enter to win this autographed (by Emerald) tote bag with the Bible Verse Psalm 91:11 on it, and this notebook that says "God Makes Beautiful Things." (US Only please. If you're international, Emerald will send you an e-book and choose another winner.)

Wednesday, June 11, 2014

Here it is!

This is so exciting for me. You have no idea! I say that, but if you have been following me for long, you know that I have been in AWE with God and this amazing season he has put me in. One on-line friend, Kessie Carrol, who has been with me from the very beginning of my quest to be a published author said this to me recently, "God's surely with you in your writing career! I describe your books on Twitter as Christian cozy horror. Every time you hit a best seller list, I feel so proud. You've come such a long way from asking newbie questions on the MLP forum."

And it so true. None of this would have EVER happened with out God. I assure you! Have you seen any of my blogs where I sighted the path that has put me where I am today? Just a little recap:

My husband and I found a web sight about teardrop campers, we started talking to people on the discussion forum, we built a camper and went camping. LOVED THE PEOPLE. Met a published author on the forum. Started a discussion with her. She directed me to check out ACFW, that lead me to Where The Map Ends. That lead me to an online critique group (thus Kessie Carroll) which helped me learn and improve my writing. A person on that critique group put out an invitation to submit short stories for a Clockwork Dragon anthology (see The Clockwork Dragon on Amazon.) I did and she then offered to read any completed manuscript I had...WHAT???

And now Rocking Horse Shadows! I am so blessed and thankful. Not only do I thank God for all this amazing awesomeness, but I thank YOU, the people (my fans) who are following me as an author and continue to buy my books.

THANK YOU SO MUCH, FROM THE BOTTOM OF MY HEART!

You guys are wonderful and I appreciate you beyond what mere words could possibly describe!

I am humbled by your loyalty and just want to reach out and hug every single one of you.

So. If you haven't made it over to Amazon, yet. The book is only $3.99 and I really hope you enjoy it. Kessie has already posted a review. She's calling it Cozy Horror! Check out her comments. And may I ask one other thing from you? When you read Rocking Horse Shadows, please post a review. It is the #1 way you can help me be able to continue to write and give you more stories to read. By the way: Thank you for taking the time to post a review! I know your time is valuable, and I really appreciate you carving a few minutes out just to help me out! You guys are AWESOME. The best thing I can give you for your help is this, I leave you with one of the most powerful prayers in the Bible and I pray this pray JUST for you so that you will receive all that this prayer has to offer.

"For this reason I kneel before the Father,from whom every family in heaven and on earth derives its name.I pray that out of his glorious riches he may strengthen [this person who reads this blog] with powerthrough his Spirit in this reader's inner being,so that Christ may dwell in this reader's hearts through faith. And I pray that this reader, being rooted and established in love,may have power, together with all the Lord’s holy people, to grasp how wide and long and high and deep is the love of Christ,and to know this love that surpasses knowledge—that this reader may be filled to the measure of all the fullness of God.

"Now to him who is able to do immeasurably more than all we ask or imagine, according to his power that is at work within us,to him be glory in the church and in Christ Jesus throughout all generations, for ever and ever! Amen." ~Ephesians 14-21 NIV

Maybe God bless you abundantly, above and beyond all that you can possibly imagine!

Friday, May 23, 2014

Cover Reveal

The Rocking Horse Shadow is my first book published by Astraea Press and will be released later this year. Cora Graphics has been working with me to design the cover. We discussed some really good ideas for the design, and in my head, I saw a terrified couple clinging to one another while a horrific/demonic shadow fell across their trembling forms, being cast from an innocuous child's rocking horse. Cora saw something a little, okay, a lot different. And BOY! Was she right. I think this cover is AMAZING. It FAR exceeds anything I ever imagined.
This must be why I'm the writer and she's the graphics artist! (but I digress)
So with out further ado...

The Rocking Horse Shadows.

It's just an old rocking horse.

At least, that's what Marah keeps telling herself. When renovating the old Smithy’s property with her husband, the antique rocking horse first evoked happiness, and Marah couldn't help but daydream about the possibility of a baby coming into their lives. Starting a family would be the perfect symbol of their recovering marriage.

But then weird things start to happen. Even their dog can sense it. As weird quickly turns into terrifying, everything keeps coming back to the rocking horse—and the evil spirits who haunt it.

And Here's the Cover:

I KNOW, RIGHT!!!

* * * BREAKING NEWS! * * *

Rocking Horse Shadows will be released

JUNE 10th

* * * * * * * * *

Now be sure to enter for an opportunity to win a
$30 Amazon Gift Certificate

Sunday, May 11, 2014

My mother did not have a child psychology degree or even a
full four-year college degree, so I’m certain she did not realize the scaring
results she instilled in me of inadequacy and guilt where my sister was
concerned. LeeAnn is a “rubella baby,” born blind and deaf, with a heart and
immune defect. She has some degree of mental retardation and who knows what
else, really. Mother’s over protective instincts popped out in her life like a
threatened porcupine and I, unfortunately, became impaled by the quills. As a
child and the older sister, I was told in no uncertain terms I was responsible for
her safety above and beyond my own and zero tolerance with anything short of
that was Mandatory (capitalized for extra emphasis).

Mother at her last Birthday,
March 2, 2014

So, now as I process Mother’s passing, I am faced with the
child within who is terrified of not pleasing the super-human expectations of
said mother. While I am confident in my own abilities to “take care” of my
sister for the remainder of our natural lives, and I have no doubt in myself to
“handle” her financial affairs appropriately and effectively, the child within
chews her lip and worries any decision I make will be misinterpreted by the
mother-who-doesn’t-approve-but-doesn’t-say-anything.

﻿﻿

LeeAnn @ 49th Birthday,
February 20, 2014

I journaled for two days about my feelings, siting examples
of Mother’s shortcomings, which I do not judge, I simply point them out to level
the playing field. I had a shortcut to the journal document on my desktop and
accessed the file easily through it. Two days ago, I accidentally opened the
file twice and when I saved it, it went somewhere else and was no longer on my
desk top. Shrugging that off, I located the file and re-saved it as a shortcut
on my desktop and went on about my business.

Yesterday, as I drove to or from the grocery store, the Lord
spoke to me and said, “But, who is to judge you?”

The answer to that question is: Him and myself.

It was profound and epiphany-level understanding for me. I
decided to open the journal and write this as a conclusion to all my worrying
in the previous 6 pages…

Only the file was gone. Everything I wrote over the previous
two days, all five pages of new entries, were no longer there. Only the first page
of two entries when Mother first came to live with us (three years ago)
remained in the file. Mystified! I took it as a sign from God that it was no
longer needed in print because the question God had given me resolved the
issue. Poof!

Sunday, April 13, 2014

March 2, 1935, my mom can into this world the late-in-life child of Harry and Inez Selner.

April 12, 2014, my mom left this world to enter her next life in Heaven with all those who went before her and our Heavenly Father.

She will be sorely missed but our memories keep her alive in our hearts and our lives. We thank her for all she did for us as we grew up in her presence and influences. We thank God for our time together. Rest well, dear Mother, Grandmother, Grammy, mother-in-law, sister, sister-in-law, Aunt, and Niece. You have lived a life full of joy, heart break, struggles, and victories. Your fingerprint will forever mark our habits and our hearts.

Obituary for JACKIE BRYAN

Jacquelynne (Jackie) Yvonne Bryan, 79, died early Saturday, April 12, 2014 at her home in Liberal, KS.

She was born March 2, 1935 inTampa, FL, the daughter of Harry and Inez (Lynn) Selner.

She married William Everett Bryan Jr. July 4, 1964 in Amarillo, TX. He preceded her in death on April 15, 2006.

Jackie graduated in 1953 from Wimauma High School in Ruskin, FL. She was a homemaker and enjoyed gardening, cooking, shopping for knick knacks and her collection of wind chimes. She attended the Believers Ministry in Liberal, KS. She and her husband were some of the founding members of the Texas Deaf/Blind and Multi Handicap Association in Austin, TX.

Her survivors include two daughters - Lynn Donovan and husband Paul of Liberal, KS; LeeAnn Bryan also of Liberal, KS; two grandsons - Trent Gibson and wife Adrienne of Bastrop, TX; William Salvador of Liberal, KS; two granddaughters - Nisa Gibson and husband Jason Rushing of Amarillo, TX; Emily Salvador and husband Brandon Burback of Fritch, TX; eight great grandchildren; one sister - Alyce Ballanca of Tampa, FL; six nieces and nephews.

She was also preceded in death by her parents, a brother, a sister, a nephew and a niece.

A Graveside Memorial Service will be 1:00 pm Tuesday April 15, 2014 at Llano Cemetery in Amarillo, TX with Pastor Dalky Davis celebrating.

The family suggests memorials to Texas Deaf/Blind and Multi Handicap Association in Austin, TX in care of Miller Mortuary.

To send flowers or a memorial gift to the family of JACKIE BRYAN please visit our Sympathy Store.

Tuesday, March 18, 2014

I
am super thrilled to show you the beautiful cover for Emerald Barnes's newest and upcoming
novel, Entertaining Angels. Again, my cover artist was Natasha
Brown, and she is super talented.
She brought my disjointed vision to life, and I don't think I'll ever be able
to thank her properly.

I
can't wait to publish it, which I'm hoping will be in May. That's what
I'm estimating anyway. But, I couldn't wait any longer to show you my
beautiful cover!

I asked Emerald to give me a Guest Post and boy did she write me a guest post. I LOVE God stories! Here's Emerald's:

What happens when God tells you to write a story?You write it.

I spent some time in prayer over my story, Entertaining Angels because I had no idea where to take my story.I knew that I wanted it to be a sweet little romance for young adults to read so they could have clean fiction to read.(I think it’s important to have clean fiction for young adults.)My story wasn’t exactly what I wanted it to be.There was something missing, and I knew that.I sought God.

He planted the idea in my mind about Entertaining Angels.He told me He wanted me to write a novel that would help young girls.I wasn’t sure that I could do that.You know how we are as humans, we doubt.Here I am, doubting what God has told me.I kept thinking, My gosh, what are people going to think about this?What are they going to think?

Well, my hopes are that they’ll think about themselves a little differently.Entertaining Angels focuses on Madison Andrews; she’s sixteen and overweight.Basically, she’s me in high school minus the devastatingly hot new guy and nerdy best friend.Well, I did have a nerdy best friend, but things were a bit different between us.

What I’m saying is that the thoughts and feelings that Madison feels, I felt.This made it one intense and emotional ride for me as I wrote it.I had to face how I felt about myself, but also, I had to face how I was looking at myself versus how God was looking at me.

He’s told me before that I’m beautiful, but I didn’t let that sink in.I didn’t let His words truly sink in.So it was far past time that I started listening to Him, and it was my job to pass God’s words along.He wants His children to know how much He loves them.He sends people to us just to show us how much He cares.He sent His only Son to die for our sins, so that should tell us how much He does love us.Yet, we don’t always listen.We push Him aside, and we focus on us and our emotions.We should be focusing on God and how much He loves us.You’re His Sons and Daughters.He loves you, and He wants us to love ourselves.If we can’t face ourselves, how can we help His kingdom?We can’t.

Today, I hope that you look in the mirror and tell yourself how beautiful you are and also how lucky you are to have God as your Father.He wants you to know He loves you.Let’s start believing Him.

About
Entertaining Angels:

Madison
Andrews can’t face her reflection in the mirror. All she sees is a big,
fat nobody. Yet, deep inside she longs for something more, something
that’s not skin deep.

Along
comes Zach, the new guy in school. He’s smoking hot and totally out of
her league. She somehow catches his eye, and he makes her feel beautiful
for once. But just as she gets close to Zach, her nerdy best friend,
Chase, won’t let Madison doubt her true beauty, no matter how many meals she
skips.

Even
as Madison begins to realize that she is more than what she thinks, darker
forces are at work, darker than the lies and mocking from her peers, stopping
her from amounting to her full potential. Can Madison find true happiness
in her own skin?

Are
you a book reviewer? If so, please sign up for an ARC (Advanced Reading
Copy) of my novel here.

About
Emerald:

Emerald Barnes
graduated with a B.A. in English with an emphasis on Creative Writing at
Mississippi University for Women.She
resides in a small town in Mississippi and has the accent to prove it.

She mainly
writes suspense/thrillers in the YA genre, but she dabbles in other genres and
her books are enjoyed by all ages!She's constantly working on new novels and has more ideas than she knows
what to do with.She blogs which takes
up more of her time than she anticipates but loves it so very much!She's also a volunteer at the World Literary
Cafe which is amazing, and she is a crazy grammar nazi who proofreads novels!

She's an auntie
to three beautiful nieces and two handsome nephews who take up the other half
of her time, but she couldn't imagine spending her time in any other way!

She's a Whovian,
a little bit of a nerd, a reader, a writer, and a family-oriented person.God is number One in her life, and she thanks
Him continuously for His love and favor.